Conrad Muller’s heart is the center of a web of friendships, fights, and love lost and found in a close-knit group of gay men in Orange County, California. Six months ago, Conrad died, and his organs were donated for transplant. A month later, Conrad’s lover, Christian, receives a letter from the recipient of Conrad’s donated heart.

Christian can’t stop thinking about the letter, and he’s not the only one affected by loss. Conrad’s best friend Eban is also brokenhearted, and he’s struggling with his lover Damien, who has always resented living in Conrad’s shadow. Though Conrad is gone, his friends and his lover will have to cope with their grief to move on and find new love.

In the interwoven fabric of life, what happens to a group of people when someone in their circle dies? This is not a light read; it is a deep and emotionally rich, thought-provoking story. I enjoy complex stories and so I enjoyed this story very much. This plot is not exactly like a traditional romance but it is a love story with a hard earned happy ending. This is a compound novel that centers on the lives of two roommates who are struggling to carry on their lives in the face of deep grief. Their hearts hunger for love but their preconceived notions of loyalty and the desire to hang on to some piece of the past will not let them move on with living and loving.

The main character is Christian, whose partner, Conrad recently died and he is grieving deeply. Christian is human and vulnerable; easy to relate to. He’s surly when he’s having a bad day and feels bad about it later. He’s not always perfect but he is always real; I like that in a character. He is torn between his need to stay loyal to the memory of Conrad and his burgeoning attraction to Luke.

Christian’s best friend and roommate is Eban, a policeman. Eban is struggling to get over a painful breakup with Damien while supporting Christian through his grief. Eban is also trying to come to terms with his own multifaceted relationship with the now deceased Conrad. Yet Eban is also tempted by his new attraction to a new man named Darius. Eban is a long-suffering friend and sweet solace to Christian and the two men also fight an attraction to each other while they are trying to sort out their individual love lives.

This story does not follow the neat and tidy lines of most traditional romances. There’s extreme emotional danger to these men from all sides in their intricate interactions as they try and sort out and define what life means now that they have lost Conrad to death. There is also a scene of a violent crime which takes place in the middle of novel which may be too much for gentle readers. Emotions are the central focus of the plot and conflicts and the sex reflects this. The sex is not frequent and is more tightly related to plot than in many stories. But the sex is also hot and poignant and touchingly funny at the same time.

Secondhand Heart is a deep, rich story about life while grieving that switches mid-book to a story about coming out of grief. It has a happy, life-affirming ending that just might have you reaching for your hanky. It’s one of the most satisfying stories I have read in a long time. I know I’ll be thinking of Christian and Eban’s world for a long time to come.

Anne Kane

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Needing Desire

Running Hot

Frost Moon

Blue Light Special

Review Star Rating Definitions

1 Star – We currently do not review any story with a 1 star rating. If it’s DNF or a “wall-banger” we decline to review.

2 Stars — Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop you reading. Not a wall-banger, but nothing you’d re-read. This is a book you would borrow from the library – not buy- and never check out again. You might recommend it to a friend with a mention of the glitches, knowing that something in the plot or story would still appeal to them regardless.

3 Stars — Good. Mostly enjoyable. You made it through and didn’t consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw you back in and keep you. There’s a chance you’ll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn’t go on your keeper shelf.

4 Stars — Very Good. You’re glad you were the one who got to review the book. You would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to your friends. You liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Stars — Great! You would definitely buy this book. You would definitely recommend it to your friends. You really loved the characters and the plot and would consider looking for this authors back list or making her an autobuy. The writing and editing were superb.

LASR Best Book – For a book or story that is truly exceptional. You think about it when you’re not reading it. You wonder what happens to the characters when you finish. You would absolutely buy everything else this author had to offer. The highest praise – and reserved for only a few.

Review Heat Level Descriptions

SWEET: no visual love scenes and no descriptive kissing;

SENSUAL: Contains a high degree of sexual tension, steamy kisses and passionate clinches, but all fully consummated love scenes will be implied, not described, and with the bedroom door firmly closed.

SPICY: Contains actual love scenes and may include detailed descriptions of foreplay and consummation.

HOT: Contains sizzling and very detailed love scenes throughout and graphic, explicit content which may be offensive to some.

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FTC Disclaimer:

Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. On occasion, we review books we have purchased with our own money or borrowed from a public library. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.